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Sunday, October 27, 2013

A new bill authorizing the opening of 88 new offices for the
registration of marriages and divorces is expected to pass its second and third
reading tomorrow, revolutionizing the delivery of religious services in Israel.

According to the proposed law, couples will be able to
choose the rabbi officiating at their wedding regardless of their officially
registered residence.

Until now, they were restricted to their registered
residence. The so-called “Tzohar bill” bears the sole signature of MK Eitan
Cabel (Labor), since earlier signatories were either appointed to government posts
or not reelected to the present Knesset.

Cabel's bill is widely supported by both coalition and
opposition members, but is a red flag for the ultra-Orthodox parties. “The new
law will bring about a conceptual revolution in the dispensation of religious
services in Israel," said Cabel. "The new revolution will bring
segments of the public closer to Judaism, after they had distanced themselves
following the harshness and ossification associated with it under the
rabbinical leadership.

A wedding or divorce is an intimate procedure, and it is
appropriate that a couple can choose the rabbi they wish to work with.

“I’m sure the new law will upgrade the Chief
Rabbinate," added Cabel, "since it will force it to improve its
services and adapt to the Israel of 2013.

"Currently a couple can only register at the Rabbinate
in the place of residence that is listed in the ID of one of them," said
Cabel. "This made sense in the days when the local rabbi knew all the
residents, so he could approve or disqualify requests for marriage
registration.

"Today, cities are larger and rabbis don’t know all
their residents. They can just as easily register people from other locations.
Furthermore, couples in the past usually chose to live near the former
residence of one of them.

Today, couples often move away from their parents’
homes without changing their registered residence. Choosing a rabbi at their
official residence often poses hardships.

"The opening of multiple registration sites will make
their lives easier, saving them time and money, without any cost to the state
or a slackening of rabbinical supervision.”